Challenge is the magazine of the Singapore Public Service. Since its inception in 1995, it has grown from a humble newsletter to a feature-packed bimonthly magazine.

It is the only publication that is distributed Public Service-wide, and if you're a public officer, Challenge is your voice too. Staying true to its original mission to encourage innovation in the Public Service, Challenge approaches the Public Service differently by surprising our readers with the diversity and creativity of our Public Service, while daring to ask the hard questions that would spur us to higher heights. more »

Goats for Christmas, Anyone?

08 November 2011

I can’t believe how quickly this year has flown by, and we’re at that time of the year again. This issue of Challenge is broadly themed “sustainable” and is our attempt to spark some thought in this area as we start to wind down (hopefully!) for the year. It’s no secret that our Earth is aching from abuse but I suppose the real question is what we’re doing about it. In my travels to the UK (I have a soft spot for it since I studied there), I’ve noticed a trend towards “green” and “sustainable” – supermarkets and food producers alike are branding their products and services as being “sourced with integrity”, natural, local and pledged towards contributing to the community and environment. Obviously, there is a demand for this too – consumers are willing to pay more for “Fairtrade” labelled products and are drawn to the proclamations of freshness and fairness.

With “sustainability” becoming an industry in itself, I wonder if Singapore will catch on to this wave.

If there is a happy marriage between sustainability and profitability, what’s stopping us?

Besides, it is all about a lifestyle these days, and not just about putting our trash in the recycle bins. That’s probably the only “sustainable” thing I faithfully do, though I wonder why most of my neighbours’ recycle bins are empty when we don’t even need to separate paper from plastics or wash labels off food containers. Speaking of marriage, our cover story uncovers what it might take for us to say “I do” to Singapore and really cherish it as our own. And we bring you surprising pictures of Sentosa’s biodiversity and its efforts to preserve its sustainability DNA.

If you’re looking to travel, check out our eco-destinations under Life.Style. Or try a new trick or tip from our ultimate “How-To” Pullout. Challenge launches our latest readers’ survey – tell us what you like and what you don’t, so that we can continue to bring you more great issues. And now, let me settle down to enjoying my favourite season of the year – and perhaps buy a few goats and chicks from World Vision for a few of my lucky urban friends for Christmas. (; Happy holidays from all of us at Challenge!